Top Young Entrepreneur: An Interview With Ben Towers

According to an article from The Daily Mail, Ben was not allowed to leave school at the age of 17 to lead his own business because UK law states that “students cannot leave full-time education or training until 18“. He got around the complication by employing himself as an apprentice.

His digital media agency now has upwards of 700 clients and a team of 15 consultants. Ben was recently recognised and mentioned by Richard Branson as a top young entrepreneur in an article entitled “Age is not a barrier to success“.

Ben Towers is living proof that age is no key in business, with a number of staff members, and as a keynote speaker to inspire other young ambitious entrepreneurs. His accomplishments do not end there; he is also working withBBCpresenter Steph McGovern on a new talent show called Pocket Money Pitch – along with Myleene Klass, Jamal Edwards and Levi Roots as others who appear in the show.

I caught up with Ben and asked him questions that have never been asked before, here’s what he had to say…

Is timing and location important for tech businesses?

“Yes definitely, tech is always changing you need to be there with your business ready for the explosion in that technology“

What do you think you have contributed in the digital media industry?

“Having entered the industry with no past experience I have had the opportunity to try out untested methods and also fully embrace technology that has been around all of my life, so you could say that I’ve contributed some inventive thinking!“

What does being a young entrepreneur mean to you?

“Being a young entrepreneur to me is about being someone who wants to be part of shaping the future of business and working in a way that suits me and motivates people to achieve as much as they can.“

What’s your top 3 success tips for young entrepreneurs?

“1. Get out and give it a go, you don’t even have to wait until you finish school! I didn’t!

2. Be passionate about what you do and make sure your reasons are more than simply making money, you have to love what you do.

3. Make the most of being young, be bold and tell the world! Do not try to deny your age, embrace the advantages of it!“

Who would you say is an influential figure to you?

“Definitely Richard Branson. He founded a company at a time when his industry was about to explode and it worked, he is also very passionate about helping the next generation of entrepreneurs.“

What are some of your top achievements?

“Winning the NatWest Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 award, and having the opportunity to lobby with some of the leading politicians about young people in business. I developed a client base of close to 1000 businesses providing printing and digital services before I was 17.“

Why do people need to pay attention to online media?

“Online media is media now. Media consumers want to know what is going on as it happens all over the world, and from whatever access point they have to hand. Be that a smart phone, tablet or computer. The only way to deliver this is through the online format.“

If you could put a percentage on the satisfaction in your life from 0% to 100%, what would it be and why?

“100%. I’m totally satisfied. But that doesn’t mean I have no ambitions left! When I was younger I wanted to go to university in America, but being able to be your own boss and be offered amazing opportunities all over the world has really made me realise that there is more to life than academic success. Now my ambitions are changing, but I’m sure I’ll continue to meet my own high expectations.“

How have you gone about getting over 500 clients? And what would you recommend to our readers for getting clients?

“The most important thing is to do what you are paid for to the best of your ability – provide excellent service and a product that people want. From there on, in my case it has all been from word of mouth and me getting out there and pushing the company. If you are looking at getting more clients; make sure to get out into the business community, network hard, speak at events and be active on social media.“